Vehicle-wheel.



F. R. DUDLEY. VEHIGLE WHEEL. APPLICATIOI? FILED MAY 21, 1909.

Patented June 21,1910.

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Application filed may 21, 1909.- Serial No. 97,408.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK R. DUDLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fitchburg, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Vehicle-Wheel, of which the following is a specification. 7

It is the object of the presentinvention to provide an improved construction of vehicle wheel and the invention relates more particularly to that class of vehicle wheels which embody springs-as the cushion ele ment of the wheel and the invention aims primarily to provide, in a wheel of such construction, an arrangement and manner of attaching the spokes of the wheel, which spokes are of fiat resilient metal, to the hub and to the telly, so that the securing devices employed in such attachment will not be subjected to strain; at least to any-considerable degree. It is a further object of the invention I to provide a vehicle wheel of this class of 1 is a view in front e such construction as to permit of the ready. disassembling of the parts of the wheel-so that the tires may'be readily repaired or new parts substituted.

In the accompanying drawings :--Figure vation of a vehicle wheel constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View therethrough.

In the drawings, there is shown one end of a vehicle axle 5 having formed or securedthereon a collar 6 and having a threaded reduced end 7. A spindle box or sleeve 8 is fitted upon the s indle 5 and bears at one end against the co lar 6 thereon and at its other end against a nut 9 which is threaded upon the reduced end 7 of the said spindle, the sleeve being in this manner retained and held in position upon the spindle. The sleeve is threaded enteriorly at its ends and threaded upon the inner end of the sleeve is a nut 10 which bears against a washer 11 disposed thereon. Similarly, a nut 12 threaded upon the other end of the sleeve bearsagainst a washer 13 and a cap nut 14 is threaded also upon the said end of the sleeve and bears against the nut 12 and serves to lock the same in place. The openings in the washers 11 and 13 are tapered as is clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings and receive wedge shaped lugs 15 which project laterally from the edges of spokes 16, it being understood that upon tightenthe said spokes in position so far as their said inner ends are concerned.

The spokes 16 above referred .to are each in the form of a fiat resilient plate which is formed at its lateral edges withthe said lugs i115" and has its said lateral edges converged in the direction of its outer end as is clearly shown in Fig. 2' of the drawings, the spokes at their inner ends being of considerable width whereby to prevent dishing of the wheel when in use. As is illustrated in Fig 1 of the drawings, the plates comprising the spokes 16 are terminally decreased in thickness at their inner ends and increased in thickness in the direction of their outer ends, they being of greatest thickness at' a point somewhat'inwardly of plates .18, preferably resilient, be secured' upon one face'of each spoke 16 at its inner end and these plates 18 are formed each at each lateral edge at the-outer corners with their said outer ends and being decreased in v lugs 19 which engage with the corresponding lateral edges of the associated spokes 16. Under some conditions, the engagement of these lugs 19 with the lateral edges of-the plates comprising the s okes may be found sufiicientto hold the such relation especial if the plates are formed, as in the case of the spokes 16,-with the lateral lugs 15 although it will be understood that where it is desired not to form the plates With lugs similar to the lugs 15, they may be otherwise securedto the plates comprising the spokes.

The felly of the wheel embodying the present invention is comprised in part of a coiled leaf spring 20, the laminae of which are in contact as is clearly shown in Figs. 1

and 2 of the drawings and the spring may be comprised of as many laminae as will permit of proper yield of the telly when the wheel is in use, the outer ends of the plates 16 comprising the spokes of the Wheel being secured to the laminae of the spring comprising the body of the folly.

Clips comprising sideportions 21 and conp ates and spokes.in

meeting-portions 22 are disposed u n the spring comprisiiig'the body of t e felly at intervals and pre erably are so closely arranged as to have their 0 posing ends substantially in contact and thesecli s are formed at-the inner edges of the si e portions" 21 with threaded studs 23 which-prm ject through apertured or notched cars 24 formed upon the lateral ed es of the spokes 16 adjacent the outer ends t ereof, these cars being preferabl formed at the thickened} portlons 17 of t e spokes.

and not only serve to firmly clamp the clips upon the springi20of the telly but serve further to bind't e fouter ends of the spokes firmly against the innermost lamina of the;

spring 20, whereby the seve'ral laminae of t e sprin will be held in contact and the spokes wi 1 be connected at their outer ends securely to the said spring 20.

As stated, the ears 24 are formed'at the edges of the springs attheir thickened portions 17 and a e hence located inwardly of the ends of the said spokes so that the gradually thinned terminals of the spokes bear flat against the inner face of the innermost lamina of the sprin 20 as is clearly shown in the two figureso the drawings.

The connecting portions 22 of the clips 'above described are preferably located inwardly of the outer edges of the side portions 21 of the clips as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings so as to aiford radially projecting flanges 26 between which may be received a rubber tire 27.

From the fore oing description of the invention, it will lm seen that there is provided a vehicle wheel, .in which not only the spokes but also the fell will yield to a proper degree to cushion t e wheel and it wil furtherbe understood that inasmuch as 4 the outer terminals of the spokes 16 bear flat against the inner surface of the innermost lamina of the spring 20 comprising the body of the telly, less strain will be placed upon the devices forsecuring the spokes at their understood that w mom said outer ends to the felly than would be the case should the spokes terminate at their outer ends directly at the felly. It will also be understood that by removing the cap nut 14, the nut 12 and the washer 13, the'wheel may be-readily disassembled for the purposes of repairer a plication' of a new'hub sleeve or for any ot er' urpos'e. Also it will be comprising .the spokes of the wheel are comparatlvely thin at their inner and outer ends 5 and are comparatively thick adjacent their Nuts 25 are threaded upon the studs-23 said outer ends, they may be otherwise proportioned as regards their thickness as found expedient, this method of proportioning the spokes being however apparentl the one producing the .most desirable resu t.

What is claimed is- 1. In a wheel, a coil s ring folly, clips embracin the laminae oi the felly, said clips havmg inwardly projectin studs, and

spokes secured at their inner en s to the hub and provided at their outer'ends with lateral ears through which-the studs of the clips pro'ect, and nuts threaded upon the said stu s and securing the spokes at their outer ends to the fel1y.-

2. In a vehicle wheel, a hub, a coil spring felly, and spokes secured at theif inner ends to the hub and at their outer ends to. the telly, said spokes comprising each a resilient plate having its lateral edges conver 'ng in the direction of the outer end, the s(po es being secured inwardly of their en s to the 531d felly and bearin beyond their points of attachment to the fel y a ainst the innersurface of the fel'ly, the sai end portions of the I spokes being terminally decreased in thickness. In testimony that I' claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK R. DUDLEY. Witnesses ELLA M. DUDLEY, EDWIN E. DUDLEY. v

ilethe resilient plates 16 

